Folding egg-crate



(No Model.)

1). REID.

FOLDING EGG CRATE.

No. 602,472. Patented Apr. 19,1898.

WITNESSES. 11v VENTORL .dttorney 3 ATENT FFlCE.

DOUGLAS REID, OF NE\V RICHMOND, VISCONSIN.

FOLDING EGG-CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 602,472, dated April 19, 1898.

Application filed May l9,1897. Serial No. 637,168. (No model.)

' full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in folding egg-crates; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out particularly in the claim.

The object of the invention is to provide an egg-crate or case for the shipment of eggs, said crate consisting of side and end pieces hinged or pivoted together, also a removable top and bottom so that said crate may be folded to occupy less space for a return shipment when not in use, which object is attained by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a general perspective view of an egg-crate as made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan View of Fig. 1, the top being removed. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the top in an inverted position.

Referring to the numerals of reference, 1 designates the bottom, which is shown in the drawings as being rectangular, but which may be of any desired size and formation.

2 represents the side pieces, which are hinged to end pieces 3 by suitable hinges 4 and 5, the particular arrangement of said hinges being for a purpose hereinafter referred to and is clearly shown in Fig. 3.

6 and 7 represent hooks which are pivoted, respectively, to the side and end pieces by means of screws or other suitable fastening devices passed through their eyes and anchored in said pieces.

8 and 9 designate grooves or recesses which have staples or eyes 10 secured therein, and which eyes 10 are adapted to receive the lower ends of said hooks.

11 designates a cover of the crate, which has strips 12 secured to the under side thereof near its ends. The angled corners of said strips are rabbeted or recessed, in which recesses leaf-springs 13 are mounted.

14 designates tongues which are fastened to the under side of cover 11 in a suitable manner, as by means of bails or staples 14, in such position that the rear face of said tongues are brought to bear against said springs 13 when said tongues extend at right angle from said top 11.

11 indicates a groove in which the angled end of tongue 14 is adapted to be received for convenience in folding.

15 indicates spindles which are suitably journaled to the outer sides of end pieces 3, the ends of which are turned at right angles to the main portion and extend in line with each other, said spindles being so located that the inner angled portion will lie at the rear of tongues 14.

17 designates a division which extends transversely across the center of the crate and is held in position by being moved vertically downward between guides 18, their ends being recessed for the reception of said guides.

When it is desired to reduce the extension of the crate from the position shown in Fig. 1, the outer ends of said spindles 15 are thrown downward, causing the inner angled ends to bear against tongues 14 and force the angled ends of said tongues out of their engaging notches 16, when said cover may be removed, after which removal tongues 14 are folded down upon the under face of cover 11, so that the angled portion of said tongue will lie in recess 11, as will be readily understood. The side and end pieces are removed from bottom 2 by releasing the engagement of hooks 6 and 7 with eyes 10. After said bottom has been removed and the central division 17 withdrawn said sides and ends are collapsed by folding one of said sides upon the other, which is accomplished by moving said sides in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 3, which increases the longitudinal extension of the crate sides and ends, but reduces it transversely. After said sides and ends have been folded the cover is placed thereover and the bottom thereunder,with the division 17 therebetween, and suitably bound, when they will occupy a small space in comparison to their extended size.

It will thus be seen that the construction and arrangement of parts hereinbefore set forth produces a folding egg-crate that may be very cheaply manufactured and which is.

strong and secure when in use and occupying but little space when folded.

Having thus fully set forth my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A folding egg-crate consisting of a bottom having cavities in its upper face in which suitable eyes are mounted, the side and end pieces of the crate hinged together and having hooks thereon which are adapted to engage the eyes of said bottom, the guide devices 18 mounted on the inner side of said side pieces, the partition adapted to be held in position thereby, the top or cover having rabbeted strips secured to its under face, leaf-springs secured in the rabbets of said strips, angled tongues 14 pivoted to said top in such position as to bear against said strips, said top and end pieces having notches 11 and 16 for the reception of the angles of said tongue, the spindles journaled to the outer sides of said end pieces, said spindles having angled ends, and the parts adapted to be operated, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DOUGLAS REID. l/Vitnesses:

J. B. HIoKs, P. B. DAY. 

